I am your typical housewife living in high maintenance suburbia. I have a handsome husband, 2 kids and a flock of pet chickens. I try and feed my family with $100 a month. With the help of coupons, gardening and bartering I am able to squeeze the most out of our grocery budget and still manage to have a little fun along the way.

10 Ways to Make Your Clothes Last Longer

The links in the post below may be affiliate links. Read the full disclosureBy Mavis Butterfield on September 6, 2017 · 7 Comments

Unless you want to scare all your neighbors off {and probably get the cops called on you} or go live in a nudist colony, buying clothes is a must! And unless you’re raising kids who grow out of their clothes every other week, if you treat your clothes right and follow a few simple tips, those clothes can last for years. I’ve owned some of the clothes in my closet for 10 years {but when your wardrobe consists mainly of timeless jeans and black shirts, you can get away with that!}. You don’t have that happen by accident. I’m careful with my clothes, but certainly not worried about working hard in them. Here are some of the things I do to extend the life of my clothes:

Store clothes properly: Between seasons, store your clothes. I like to store my off-season stuff, to keep it from getting moth ridden and dusty from want of use. I always wash everything before I store it, that way, when I pull it out on the first cool, crisp fall day, I can just put it right on. Washing also helps kill any insects that might have taken up residence in your sweaters. Store in bins or space saver bags.

When caring for in-season clothes, make sure you hang them properly using quality hangers so your shirts keep their shape and don’t get shoulder bumps. Also, I never hang my sweaters or bulky shirts. I fold those!

Rotate your wardrobe: Let some of your clothes rest a bit between wear. Letting them air out between wears and washes is really good for your clothes.Wash rarely: Gag, I know! But this is one of the very best things you can do for your clothes, especially jeans. Nothing causes more wear on your clothes than a trip through the washing machine. I try to wash my jeans only when they absolutely need it. I spot clean them the rest of the time. Obviously, this is not a tip for undies and socks. I recommend washing them well and often!
Turn clothes inside out: This simple tip will help with fading and also help get all the dirt and oil in your clothes out to prevent yellowing.

Treat stains immediate: Don’t let stained clothes sit in the hamper until laundry day. Make sure you try to remove that stain ASAP. If you can’t get around to spot treating because of time, soak the item in a sink full of water and vinegar. That will prevent the stain from setting.Wash your clothes on cold: Again, this really help with fading and color transfer.

Wash clothes by hand: Your hands are much more gently than the crazy agitator in your machine. That can cause a rapid breakdown in the fibers.

Wash on the gentle cycle: If hand washing is out of the question, try washing your clothes on the gentlest cycle possible. It’s the next best thing to hand washing.

Air dry: The dryer can also be really hard on the fibers of the fabric and can break clothes down significantly faster than if you air dry.

Mend instead of tossing: If your clothing item gets a hole, try mending it or sewing it up instead of retiring it. Sometimes it’s more cost effective to get the item professionally mended if it’s an expensive piece of clothing.

Follow those simple tips and your wallet will thank you! What tips do you use to make your clothes last longer?

Comments

I am currently wearing a favorite sweatshirt purchased in July 1976. It still looks ok for home and garden wear, though the soft fleece lining is mostly gone. It is Just the right weight and long sleeves for an early fall day doing yard work. Guess I’ve been washing correctly all these years.

I hang dry most of my own shirts and blouses so they last longer/do not shrink. An apron in the kitchen also is a clothes-saver! I have always owned aprons (and sewn them for myself!) but just this summer I decided to wear one every single time I am in the kitchen. It has really helped keep stains away!

There’s little need to toss clothing these days. In the very least, give it to Goodwill or some other thrift-type shop for re-use. Best to mend then turn it into something else: a rug or even a rag. The textile industry is one of the world’s worst polluters. Just as bad, they create crappy clothing, disposable clothing. Best to purchase good quality clothes that last.

I’d include buying slightly higher quality clothes to start, zipping up all zippers and fastening all closures before washing, and washing more delicate items in lingerie or sweater bags. I also use Shout color catchers whenever washing new items and wash new things in loads where nothing else will be damaged if colors overrun the catcher. And check ALL pockets before throwing things in the wash.